Key findings
• Overall, over half (52 per cent) of schools were very satisfied with the
inspection and more than a third (36 per cent) were quite satisfied.
• ‘Outstanding’ schools were most satisfied with inspections, whereas
schools given ‘notice to improve’ were least satisfied. Primary schools were less likely to be satisfied than other schools.
• At least 80 per cent of schools were satisfied with the quality of various
aspects of the inspection, particularly in relation to Ofsted’s interaction with pupils (57 per cent were ‘very satisfied’ and 36 per cent ‘quite satisfied’).
• Three-fifths (61 per cent) of schools either agreed or strongly agreed that
the new s5 inspection process was less stressful than the previous system, whereas just under a quarter (23 per cent) disagreed and 14 per cent strongly disagreed.
• A substantial majority of survey respondents (83 per cent) thought the
actual monetary costs incurred due to s5 inspections was minimal; just under a fifth (18 per cent) thought actual costs were significant. In direct comparison with the previous s10 inspection process, costs overall were generally thought to be minimal (74 per cent).
• The main benefit of s5 inspections, mentioned by 86 per cent of survey
respondents, was thought to be that they had confirmed what schools had identified in their own self evaluation. Two-fifths (42 per cent) reported that the inspection had boosted staff morale.
• The biggest concern, mentioned by just over half (55 per cent) of the
survey respondents, was the time taken for schools to complete the SEF. In addition, just over a quarter (27 per cent) perceived that there was an issue in relation to the use of data; although a greater proportion of schools inspected between October and December 2005 were concerned about the use of data, compared with schools inspected later, the difference was not statistically significant.
• Although schools were generally satisfied with the inspection, just under
half (44 per cent) made suggestions for changes. These most often related to perceptions that the SEF should be simplified, more time should be allowed for inspectors to observe lessons, and that there should be more consistency across inspection teams.
This chapter offers an overview of levels of satisfaction with the s5 inspection process, including a summary of views on the main benefits of the new inspections and some of the concerns held by schools following the process. It also summarises perceptions on how the new process could be improved, as well as interviewees’ expectations of their next Ofsted inspection. This
chapter includes findings from the questionnaire survey of 1597 schools and the more in-depth case-study interviews in 36 schools.
6.1 Overall satisfaction with the inspection
The school survey included questions about levels of satisfaction with s5 inspections. As shown in Table 6.1 below, just over half (52 per cent) were ‘very satisfied’ and just over a third (36 per cent) were ‘quite satisfied’ with the s5 inspection. Only ten per cent (166 individuals) were ‘not at all satisfied’.
Table 6.1 Overall satisfaction with inspection
Overall satisfaction with inspection %
Very satisfied 52
Quite satisfied 36
Not at all satisfied 10
No response 3
N = 1597
Due to rounding, percentages may not sum to 100 1556 respondents answered this question
Source: NFER evaluation of the impact of Section 5 Inspection School Survey 2006
As presented in Table 6.2 below, schools awarded a grade 1 for overall effectiveness were most satisfied with inspections, while those who were given notice to improve expressed most dissatisfaction. This was confirmed in the outcomes of the statistical modelling analysis. The modelling also revealed that primary schools were less likely to be satisfied with the inspection, in comparison with other schools.
Table 6.2 Overall satisfaction with inspections, by overall effectiveness grade Satisfaction Grade 1 % Grade 2 % Grade 3 % Grade 4* % Very satisfied 90 60 35 29 Quite satisfied 9 35 46 44
Not at all satisfied 1 5 19 28
N = 1556
Due to rounding, percentages may not always sum to 100
Source: NFER evaluation of the impact of Section 5 Inspection School Survey 2006 *Grade 4 schools only include those given notice to improve
As shown in Table 6.3 below, the timing of inspection did not appear to have an impact on the level of satisfaction with inspections overall.
Table 6.3 Overall satisfaction with inspections, by timing of inspection
Satisfaction 31 December 20051 October- % 1 January- 14 February 2006 % 15 February- 31 March 2006 % Very satisfied 52 54 53 Quite satisfied 37 35 37
Not at all satisfied 11 11 10
N = 1556
Due to rounding, percentages may not always sum to 100
Source: NFER evaluation of the impact of Section 5 Inspection School Survey 2006
It is perhaps not surprising to note that schools which had found the oral feedback useful were most likely to be very satisfied with the inspection overall. Three-quarters (76 per cent) of those who had found the oral feedback ‘very useful’ were ‘very satisfied’ with the inspection overall, whereas just two per cent of those who had found the oral feedback ‘not at all useful’ were ‘very satisfied’ overall. The statistical modelling analysis found that schools which felt there was appropriate guidance for completing the SEF were more likely to be very satisfied with inspections than quite satisfied or not at all satisfied (views of the SEF are discussed further in Sections 2.2 and 2.3). Those who strongly agreed that the inspection provided valuable confirmation of their SEF were more likely to be ‘very satisfied’ than satisfied to a lesser degree.
The statistical analysis showed that schools which felt inspection outcomes had matched their initial expectations were more likely to be ‘quite satisfied’ rather than ‘very satisfied’ or ‘not at all satisfied’ with inspections. It can reasonably be assumed that had the inspection been more positive than they had initially expected, or revealed areas for improvement they had not already identified, these schools might have been more likely to say they were ‘very satisfied’ with inspections.
The school survey also included a question on the levels of satisfaction with the quality of the inspection in relation to use of data, lesson observation and interaction with staff, governors, pupils and parents. The responses are illustrated in Table 6.4 below. The table shows that a substantial majority of respondents were ‘quite satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with the quality of the various elements of the inspection. There was particular satisfaction with the quality of inspections in relation to Ofsted’s interaction with pupils; more than half (57 per cent) were ‘very satisfied’. There was also particular satisfaction with Ofsted’s interaction with staff; more than half (52 per cent) were ‘very satisfied’. It is worth noting that in comparison with the smaller-scale pilot survey, a greater proportion of respondents were ‘very satisfied’ with Ofsted’s interaction with staff (32 per cent were ‘very satisfied’ in the pilot survey). Around a fifth (19 per cent) expressed some degree of dissatisfaction with the quality of inspections in relation to the use of data (a similar proportion to that